What Is A Family?
by SU Fanatic7152
Summary: Steven and the Crystal Gems head out on a special rescue mission to the human zoo. But it seems to be one of those days when things go from bad to worse. *WARNING* If you haven't seen Steven Bomb 5, there will be spoilers in here. Read at your own risk.
1. The Mission

"You're kidding right?" a Jasper asked. Many of the gems called her skinny as her nick-name. She, along with a bunch of Amethysts were all in their break room listening to Carnelian.

"No, I'm being for real," Carnelian said. "Honest."

"You want us to believe that you just saw the ultimate quartz?" an Amethyst asked.

"Yes," Carnelian said. "I really saw her. She was here, and she was talking to Holly Blue."

"Why would _she_ come here?" An Amethyst with her gem placed on her cheek asked, jumping down from her cubby.

"How am I supposed to know?" Carnelian asked. "I just saw her and ran back here. I didn't hear what she was saying or nothing."

"Well," an Amethyst with one curl over her shoulder said. "if you claim you saw her, just take us there and show us."

"Yeah," Skinny said. "Prove it, Carnelian."

"But," Carnelian tried to say.

"Prove it. Prove it. Prove it," all the gems started chanting.

"Okay, fine," Carnelian said. "But if we get in trouble with Holly again, I'm blaming you guys."

"Whatevs," an Amethyst said opening the door. "Lead on."

"This way," Carnelian said as she walked out the door and headed down the hallways.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the facility, Jasper felt like she was about to lose it. Holly Blue Agate was a little too excited about her being there.

As Holly turned a corner, Jasper paused in place for a minute.

"I'm just about to crack!" Jasper exclaimed through her teeth.

"C'mon, sis," Amethyst said popping out of Jasper's hair. "We're so close."

"Yeah," Steven said popping out of Jasper's hair, too. "We're almost to the containment area. We just gotta get there, open the door, let the humans out, get them on the roaming eye, and clear out of here."

"Remind me again why I agreed to do this," Jasper said.

"Hey," Amethyst said. "It's either help up free the humans or talk to Lapis."

"Why do you keep using that against me?" Jasper asked.

"It's funnier that way," Amethyst said sinking back into Jasper's hair.

"You got this," Steven said sinking into Jasper's hair as well.

"Terribly sorry," Holly said appearing around the corner. "It seems I lost you back here. Something wrong?"

"No, Holly," Jasper said. "I just thought I saw something, but it turns out to be nothing."

"Oh," Holly said leading Jasper down the halls once more. "Probably those treacherous Amethysts again. They're all so incompetent. It's too bad they couldn't have turned out as well as you." Holly smirked dragging her finger lightly along Jasper's arm.

"Uh, yeah," Jasper said pulling her arm away and some sweet forming on her brow.

Holly cleared her throat. "Pardon me," she said. "It's just that I've yet to see such a perfectly made quartz soldier. And it's not every day that you get to met the legendary ultimate quartz from the beta kindergarten."

Jasper gulped as Holly kept getting close to her. She figured that she wouldn't be able to to this place without getting some attention, but she wasn't expecting an Agate to be all over her.

"Holly Blue Agate!" an Amethyst with a chipped tooth exclaimed running towards the two. Beside her was another Amethyst.

"What did I tell you two?!" Holly yelled. "We do not run or yell in these hallways.

"We're sorry, but…" the Amethyst started in a softer tone but was cut off.

"How am I supposed to understand what you are saying if you are mumbling?!" Holly exclaimed.

"Uh," both the Amethysts said looking at each other.

"We're sorry," the Amethyst with the chipped tooth said. "but the Diamonds, all three of them, are on their way."

"Oh my stars!" Holly exclaimed. "All three of them? And so soon? Yellow and Blue were both here only a few months ago. Oh, this is wonderful."

Jasper took a step back during this conversation.

"Sis?" Amethyst asked from inside Jasper's hair.

"I can't do this," Jasper whispered.

"It'll be fine," Steven said.

Holly sent the Amethysts off and turned around to face Jasper. "So sorry about that," Holly said fluffing her hair a little. "See what I mean? I just don't know what to do with them."

"Yeah," Jasper said faking a smile. "They're such embarrassments."

"Oh, we should see the Diamonds," Holly said.

"What?" Jasper asked trying not to yell.

"Well, I'm sure the Diamonds would love to see their best soldier has finally escaped that horrible planet they call Earth."

"Right," Jasper said more sweat forming on her brow.

Holly and Jasper suddenly heard a loud bang followed by incomprehensible chattering.

"Those Amethysts!" Holly said with obvious anger in her tone. "Please," Holly placed her hand on Jasper's shoulder. "wait here. I'll be right back. I just have to take care of those pesky gems real quick."

Jasper cleared her throat. "Of course," Jasper said saluting.

"Oh, there's no need for that," Holly said lowering Jasper's arms. "You're an elite. If anything, I should be saluting you."

With that said, Holly turned on her heel and headed back down the hallway.

Jasper leaned against a wall. Steven and Amethyst both slipped out of her hair.

"This is going to work," Jasper said. "I can't confront them now."

"Relax," Amethyst said. "We've got this."

"Jasper?" someone said from behind them. Steven, Amethyst, and Jasper turned around and were awestruck by what they saw.


	2. Reunion

There in front of the trio was a large gathering of gems. Every single Amethyst in the facility. In the very front of them all stood the short Carnelian and the tall and lean Jasper. They were all just standing there staring at the three gems with their eyes wide and jaws dropped.

Jasper was completely speechless. Her eyes were wide as well.

"Skinny? Carnelian?" Jasper finally managed to say looking at each gem as she said their names.

They were all silent. Skinny and Carnelian had small tears forming in their eyes.

"JASPER!" Skinny and Carnelian both exclaimed at the same time as they ran towards the quartz and embraced her. Skinny was holding on around Jasper's waist, and Carnelian was hanging on to her leg.

"Where you been?" Carnelian asked looking up at Jasper's face.

"Yeah," Skinny said looking up at Jasper as well. "It's been, what? 4500 years?"

"Wait a minute," an Amethyst said approaching them and looking over Jasper. "You're Jasper?" She felt Jasper's hair. "As in our Jasper?" She stared straight into Jasper's eyes as if she was seeing into her soul. "Aww! What?!" The Amethyst clinged to Jasper as well.

"Where in the cosmos have you been?" another Amethyst asked appearing next to them.

Soon, Jasper was swarmed with all of the gems in the hallway.

"Wait a second," an Amethyst said looking at Steven and his Amethyst. "Are these guys with you now?" She picked up both Steven and Amethyst.

"Yeah!" Steven happily exclaimed. "Group hug!"

Seconds later, Jasper, Amethyst, and Steven were in the tightest hug of their lives.

"Okay. Okay," Jasper said pushing some of the quartzes off of her. "That's enough," she laughed.

"But seriously," Skinny said. "Where have you been, and what happened to you?"

"Yeah," Carnelian said appearing next to Jasper. "One minute we're all together, next thing you know, Yellow Diamond comes, and you're gone."

"Well," Jasper said scratching the back of her neck. "long story, short, Yellow Diamond took me into her army."

"Seriously?" an Amethyst said rustling Jasper's hair. "Nice to know one of us was put to real use."

"WHAT ARE YOU ALL DOING?!" Holly Blue exclaimed from behind everyone. She pushed her way through the crowd of Amethysts to see Jasper in the center of it all with Skinny and Carnelian hanging onto her once more.

"What is the meaning if this?!" Holly Blue yelled.

"We were just…" Carnelian tried to say.

"Shut up!" Holly yelled kicking Carnelian in the gut. Carnelian collapsed onto the floor gripping her stomach.

"You all get back to you're stations!" Holly yelled.

As all the Amethysts scrambled out of the hallway, Steven and Amethyst quickly crawled into Jasper's hair.

"Oh, I am so sorry about all of that," Holly said as she helped dust Jasper off. "I have no idea what got into them."

"No, really," Jasper said. "it's fine. They were just…"

"Oh, don't worry," Holly said. "I'll make sure that it never happens again. But we must hurry along. The Diamonds are waiting for you."

"They already know I'm here?" Jasper asked.

"Well, of course," Holly laughed. "They have been waiting for you for so long, I felt it only right to tell them that you were here."

Jasper gulped. Beads of sweat started to pour down her face.

"Here we are," Holly said opening the doors to show three tall figures standing there waiting for them.

It was at that moment that Jasper felt like everything in her body had gone numb.


	3. Plan B

"What are they doing?" Peridot asked looking at the screens she had set up in the roaming eye. She had placed small devices on Jasper, Amethyst, and Steven in order to keep track of where they were during the mission at all times.

"Lapis," Peridot said speaking into a headset she was wearing. "this is Peridot. Do you copy? Over."

"Hey, Peridot," Lapis said through a small microphone hooked up on her head. "This is Lapis. I read you loud and clear. Over."

"How are things looking out there?" Peridot asked. "Have taken out that red eye yet? Over."

"No," Lapis responded. "It's hard to get near it without it sensing me. Over."

"What are we supposed to do?" Pearl asked from behind Peridot.

"Roaming eyes can be easily distracted," Peridot said. "In order for Lapis to take it out, we have to create some kind of interference for it to focus on."

"We've got this," Garnet said defusing into Ruby and Sapphire.

"What's the plan?" Pearl asked.

"Ruby and I will create interferences in the facility's structure," Sapphire said. "This should hopefully buy Lapis enough time to get close enough to make it unresponsive.

"Oh my stars!" Peridot suddenly exclaimed when she looked back over at her screens.

"What?" Pearl asked.

"They're in Pink Diamond's chambers!" Peridot exclaimed.

"What?" Pearl said looking over Peridot's shoulder and taking a peak at the screens.

"I'm calling in on them," Peridot said as she pressed a few buttons. "Pearl, take this headset and explain the plan to Lapis." Peridot handed Pearl a headset, and Pearl sat down in another chair. Ruby and Sapphire quickly headed out of the roaming eye and hurried to make some damage to the facility.

"Steven," Peridot said speaking into her headset again. "this is Peridot. Do you copy? Over."

"Hey, Peridot," Steven responded in a quiet whisper. "We can hear you, but you need to keep it down. We're in the same room as all three of the Diamonds. Over."

"Why are you in there anyway?" Peridot asked in a quieter tone.

"Holly Blue wanted the Diamonds to know that Jasper had come back from Earth," Amethyst said. "Over."

"Don't worry," Peridot said. "Ruby and Sapphire are going to make a distraction soon. It's likely that everyone's attention will be averted. You and Amethyst should take that time to slip out of Jasper's hair and get to the containment area."

"What?" Amethyst said. "I'm not leaving my sis alone with the Diamonds."

"It's the only way for you to get to the humans without being discovered," Peridot said.

As all this was happening, Jasper was doing her best to try and stay out of sight. None of the Diamonds noticed either her or Holly come in. They were all discussing something, and Jasper knew that Holly would never interrupt them.

Blue Diamond suddenly turned her head, and she instantly made eye contact with Jasper. Jasper could see deep pain and sorrow in Blue Diamond's eyes. Emotions that she knew all too well.

"Yellow. White," Blue said lightly touching the other Diamonds' shoulders. "She's here." The other two Diamonds turned their heads and made eye contact with Jasper.

"My Diamonds," Holly said bowing. Before Holly could finish, loud booms were heard.

"What's that?" the Diamonds asked as they looked around.

"Oh," Holly said. "I'll go take care of it." She turned in her heels and opened the door.

"Go now," Jasper whispered. Steven quickly slipped out of Jasper's hair, dragging Amethyst along with him.

"I'm not leaving you behind," Amethyst said.

"Just go," Jasper said. "I'll be fine.

Steven pulled on Amethyst's arm, and the two quickly hurried out out of the open door, leaving Jasper alone with the Diamonds.

"You," Blue Diamond said pointing to Jasper. "Come here." Jasper reluctantly walked towards the blue giant.

Once Jasper was in front of Blue Diamond, she looked down at the quartz for a few seconds. Blue Diamond placed her giant hand next to Jasper. Jasper knew what the Diamond meant. She sat in the palm of Blue Diamond's hand.

Blue Diamond lifted Jasper up to the level of her eyes. Jasper noticed some tears were falling down the Diamond's face. Blue just stared at her for a minute or two.

Suddenly, Blue brought Jasper close to her chest and held onto her tightly. Well, this was… new.

"Blue," Yellow Diamond said. "why are you hugging my quartz soldier?"

"Your quartz soldier?" Blue asked. "Last I checked, this Jasper beyond to Pink Diamond."

"Yes," Yellow said. "But there was no sense in leaving a fully-functional quartz here to waste away."

"But she was her's," Blue said. "Shouldn't she stay here like the others?"

"No," White Diamond said. "Yellow is right. There is no sense in leaving such a well-made quartz here in this broken down facility."

"But," Blue said.

"Hand her over," Yellow said outstretching her hand. Blue only held onto Jasper tighter, like a little girl would hang onto her favorite doll. Jasper was being squeezed so tight that she was sure if she needed to breathe, she would be suffocation right now.

"She's a piece of her," Blue said looking down at Jasper with tears still in her eyes.

"We've been over this," White said. "We're all upset about Pink being shattered, but we can't just hang onto everything that belonged to her like this. Now hand that Jasper to Yellow."

Meanwhile, Holly Blue Agate was running down the hallways, trying to figure out what all the commotion was about. She suddenly crashed right into someone and landed on the floor.

"Holly Blue Agate!" the Amethyst with a chipped tooth exclaimed.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Holly yelled getting up and dusting herself off.

"I-I-I-I'm sorry," the Amethyst stuttered. "We were just.."

"Shut up!" Holly yelled and smacked the Amethyst clear across the face.

"But she just trying to tell you…" the Amethyst accompanying the one with the chipped tooth tried to say.

"That goes for you, too!" Holly yelled as she smacked the other Amethyst's face as well.

"We were just inspecting the area," the Amethyst with the chipped tooth in a soft, almost whimpering, tone as she rubbed her cheek.

"Well, don't just stand there, you useless chunks of earth!" Holly yelled. "Get moving!"

Holly started to walk away, but she suddenly stopped right next to the Amethyst with the chipped tooth. "And what have I told you about your posture?!" Holly yelled. "Backs straight!" Holly slapped the chipped toothed Amethyst with all her might on her back.

The chipped toothed Amethyst grunted and put her hand on her back. Once Holly was out of sight, the chipped toothed Amethyst turned to the other Amethyst accompanying her. "I miss Jasper." was all she managed to say as they walked down the hallways.

LaetusLupus **requested that I added in those two Amethysts a little more so** **there you go.**

 **I'm glad you guys are actually liking this story. It's been a while since I've written anything, and I was worried that I would be rather rusty.**

 **I thought you guys were possibly wondering where everyone else was, so I included that info in this chapter.**

 **If there is anything that you guys would like me to include in this story, feel free to ask so in the reviews section.**

 **I don't know when I'll release the next chapter of Friend Or Foe, but I'll work on it.**

 **Thanks,**

 **~Stevidot4ever**


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